PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Gregory (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joao Paulo Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joao Paulo Filho is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Gregory
vs
Paulo Filho

166 cm
19
145 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

165 cm
19
146 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Meet the Future

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joe Gregory!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Joao Paulo Filho!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Paul Gruel and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gregory scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Gregory is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gregory is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Filho works his way to full guard. Good work.
Filho utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Filho has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Gregory has passed into side control.
Gregory has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Filho!
Gregory controlling the position easily from mount.
Gregory manages to capitalize on a mistake by Filho to take his back!
Gregory is trying to stick to Filho's back but Filho is turning into Gregory. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Gregory's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Filho.
We've been hearing good reports from Gregory's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gregory looking to control.
Filho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gregory is keeping the position for now.

Gregory is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Filho trying to control but Gregory is working from the bottom.
Filho works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Filho has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Wake and Bake. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Filho wants to control but Gregory is keeping him busy.
Filho prevents Gregory from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gregory is working hard here to advance position.
Gregory wants to control but Filho is keeping busy.
Filho tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gregory knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Gregory works his way to full guard. Good work.

Gregory working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Filho doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Filho manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Gregory keeping full guard, as Filho tries to pass.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Filho being controlled here momentarily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Filho trying to control but Gregory is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filho won't allow Gregory to sweep him here.
Filho pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gregory is keeping the position for now.
Filho keeps trying to improve his position.
Filho passes into half guard.
Gregory keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

Gregory looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Gregory!

Filho working for a submission but Gregory is keeping him at bay.
Gregory tries to lock up and control but Filho gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Gregory can't escape the position.
Gregory slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Gregory is looking to control Filho's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gregory avoid being mounted?
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gregory keeping hold of Filho's head, controlling as best he can.

Filho looking for a submission but Gregory manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Gregory dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gregory closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Filho's guard.
Filho looking to hit a scissor sweep but Gregory is one step ahead there.
Filho working a defensive guard here.
Gregory tries to free his leg and advance position but Filho is retaining full guard.
Filho working a defensive guard but Gregory passes into half guard.
Filho makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Filho.
Filho keeping full guard, as Gregory tries to pass.
Gregory passes Filho's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Gregory wants to work for an arm triangle but Filho is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gregory controlling the pace.
Gregory's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Filho is refusing to be controlled, as Gregory sits in half guard.
Gregory looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Gregory is looking for a kimura here.
Gregory seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Filho does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Gregory looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Gregory seems content to control.

Filho looking for submissions off his back.
Gregory is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Filho!
Gregory can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Filho is looking to escape.
Filho sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Gregory is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filho is looking to improve his position.
Gregory perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Gregory is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Filho!
Gregory controlling the pace for now.
Filho is wriggling around trying to escape.
Gregory can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Filho is looking to escape.
Gregory fails to move to back control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Filho sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

Gregory is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Filho wants to control but Gregory is keeping busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gregory is taking a breather. Filho says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Gregory dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Filho throws a shot from downtown. Gregory moves away and avoids it.

Gregory shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Gregory with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Gregory is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gregory trying to mount his opponent but Filho defends it.
Filho tries to get to full guard but Gregory has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Filho actively working from the bottom here.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Gregory in particular looking to stall.
Filho is trying to get back to full guard.
Filho tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Gregory has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Gregory controlling the position easily from mount.
Filho is controlling an arm, preventing Gregory from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gregory controlling the pace for now.
Gregory wants to control the pace but Filho is squirming around nicely.
Filho is wriggling around trying to escape.
Filho holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Gregory tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Gregory wants to take his opponent's back but he's not managed it.

Gregory with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gregory controlling from the full mount.
Gregory avoids the attempt from Filho to control.
Gregory fails to advance to Filho's back.
Filho is trying to reverse the position but instead Gregory has taken his back - oops!

Gregory working for a choke but Filho is defending well.
Gregory slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Joe Gregory is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Filho is looking to get back to full guard here but Gregory has managed to pass to side control instead.
Filho tries to buck Gregory off but Gregory is having none of it.
Gregory slows the pace down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Gregory showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Gregory has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Gregory!
Joe Gregory decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.